Body found at rest stop that of illegal immigrant

JANELLE STECKLEIN

Saturday

Aug 28, 2010 at 12:30 AM

Juan Jimenez Tovar was dumped unceremoniously at a rest stop along Interstate 40 after he fell ill or died during a ride trip with a man who has not been identified, the Oldham County Sheriff's Office said.

That's where the 38-year-old Mexican national remained until an Oldham County resident stumbled across his dead body last week west of Vega near the 32 mile marker.

There was no identifying information on his body and no car nearby. Initially Oldham County authorities didn't know who he was or how he ended up there. He did not appear to have died of foul play, officials said.

Then Tovar's 15-year-old son, who lives in Washington state, called in the middle of the night to find out how his dad was doing, Oldham County Sheriff David Medlin said. The teen said the man his father was riding with had called to say Tovar was left at a rest stop near Vega after he became sick or fell unconscious.

"He told the son they were going to call 911, which they didn't," Medlin said.

Authorities aren't sure when Tovar died.

The preliminary autopsy revealed Tovar likely died of natural causes, Medlin said. Authorities, he said Friday, were still waiting for the toxicology results before making the final determination.

Medlin said authorities don't know with whom Tovar was riding or where he was headed.

They do know Tovar was in the country illegally, Medlin said. Immigration officials had previously deported him back to Mexico and his fingerprints were in a database, he said.

The case has been turned over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for further investigation, he said.

No charges have been filed.

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